1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a hair curler, and more particularly to an electric hair curler having a barrel about which the hair is wound to be curled by a heater mounted on the barrel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electric hair curlers are well known in the art. One typical prior curler is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,567 in which an outer tube forms a barrel about which the hair is wound. An electric heater is received within an inner tube which is positioned within the outer tube and is in heat conducting relationship with the heater and the outer tube. Due to this structural restriction of enclosing the heater within the inner tube, a considerable amount of heat produced is absorbed in the inner and outer tubes. This is common to prior art curlers having the heater confined within the barrel. Although the above heat loss is not critical for the curlers with the heater relying upon the house current source from which the heater can get enough power to compensate the heat loss and well assure a desired hair curling treatment, it poses a serious problem when the curler is designed to employ a heater operating on a battery of less current capacity for portable use, in which case the heater is not expected to produce a sufficient amount of heat to compensate the above heat loss in the barrel, failing to give a desired curling effect on the hair wound on the barrel.